Complainant vs UBC prof Steven Galloway wants investigator’s report

The lawyer for the main complainant against Steven Galloway says she’s pleased the fired creative writing professor won’t be returning to his post.

A labour arbitrator’s decision released Friday ordered the University of British Columbia to pay Galloway $167,000 in damages. It also showed that in February, the school’s faculty association withdrew its claim on behalf of Galloway for reinstatement to his post and for lost income and benefits.

“MC is pleased that Mr. Galloway will not be returning to his position of trust in his teaching position at UBC,” Joanna Birenbaum, who represents the main complainant referred to as MC, said in an email.

But Birenbaum said her client still wants Galloway to grant permission for the release of an unredacted copy of the initial investigation report.

“Key paragraphs on the findings of the investigator about MC’s report of sexual harassment are blacked out. In the name of fairness, MC calls on Mr. Galloway to withdraw his refusal, and to give permission to UBC to release the unredacted report,” Birenbaum said.

The labour arbitration decision ordered UBC to pay Galloway for statements that violated his privacy rights and harmed his reputation, but it did not specifically say which communications infringed on Galloway’s privacy.

Galloway filed one grievance after he was suspended in November 2015, asserting that UBC erred when it sent a memo to faculty, staff and students that announced he had been suspended pending an investigation into “serious allegations.”

He filed a second grievance in June 2016 after he was fired, claiming the university’s communications about his termination, in which it said he was fired after an “irreparable breach of trust,” were misleading and caused serious damage to his reputation and ongoing suffering.